increase the free movement of people, labour, goods, and capital across national borders

reduce the possibility of regional armed conflict

adopt regional agreements on policy issues, such as the environment, climate change and migration

MGO CASE STUDY: NAFTA

A major trade deal signed in 1994, NAFTA removed significant tarrifs to stimulate trade. However, the positive and negative outcomes of this change were unevenly distributed, leading to widespread dissatisfaction.

Using examples, explain why NAFTA has been both good and bad for the US economy.

Free trade zones, or free/special economic zones, are geographic areas that have different laws to the rest of the country.

FEZs aim to facilitate trade, attract business and generate economic growth through the removal of taxes and tarrifs, the establishment of streamlined customs procedures and reduced regulation. Governments all over the world have tried to facilitate economic development by establishing FEZs within their borders.

FEZs facilitate global flows in goods and contribute to hubs of innovation by attracting companies to locate together. The government of South Korea agreed on an ambitious plan to develop the Incheon FEZ in 2003.

ECONOMIC MIGRATION CONTROLS AND RULES

How does US immigration policy work? In what ways has immigration policy in the US influenced flows of people?

Watch the two videos and read pp 557-558. Answer the question above in groups.

SYNTHESIS

Global Data Flows

Describe and explain the implications of changing patterns and trends in global data flows

Global Data Flows

Describe and explain the implications of changing patterns and trends in global data flows

How have quantities of data flows changed over time and space between 2005 - 2014? Examine the visualisation below and comment on the changes.

PATTERNS & TRENDS IN DATA FLOWS

Describe the changes to cross-border data flows between 2005 and 2015. Refer to named regions and data in your answer.

PATTERNS AND TRENDS IN DIGITAL GLOBALISATION

Increasing connectivity and exchange of data is transforming globalisation. Read the summary below and make detailed notes.

The rapidly growing flows of international trade and finance that characterised the 20th century have flattened or declined since 2008. Yet globalisation is not moving into reverse. Instead digital flows are soaring—transmitting information, ideas, and innovation around the world and broadening participation in the global economy.

The world is more interconnected than ever. For the first time in history, emerging economies are counterparts on more than half of global trade flows, and South-South trade is the fastest-growing type of connection.

While flows of goods and finance have lost momentum, used cross-border bandwidth has grown 45 times larger since 2005. It is projected to grow by another nine times in the next twelve years as digital flows of commerce, information, searches, video, communication, and intracompany traffic continue to surge.

Digital platforms change the economics of doing business across borders, bringing down the cost of international interactions and transactions.

Small businesses worldwide are becoming “micro-multinationals” by using digital platforms such as eBay, Amazon, Facebook, and Alibaba to connect with customers and suppliers in other countries.

Individuals are participating in globalisation directly, using digital platforms to learn, find work, showcase their talent, and build personal networks. Some 900 million people have international connections on social media, and 360 million take part in cross-border e-commerce.

Over a decade, global flows have raised world GDP by at least 10 percent; this value totalled $7.8 trillion in 2014 alone. Data flows now account for a larger share of this impact than global trade in goods. Global flows generate economic growth primarily by raising productivity, and countries benefit from both in flows and out flows.

Although more nations are participating, global flows remain concentrated among a small set of leading countries. The gaps between the leaders and the rest of the world are closing very slowly, but catch-up growth represents a major opportunity for lagging countries. Some economies could grow by 50 percent or more over the long term by accelerating participation.

Write a paragraph contrasting 20th and 21st Century globalisation.

TOK QUESTION

Discuss the following theory of knowledge question in small groups and be prepared to share your reflections with the class

How has access to vast amounts of information changed our understanding of knowledge?

SHRINKING WORLD

How technological processes influence global interaction

SHRINKING WORLD

How technological processes influence global interaction

How do political, technological and physical processes influence global interactions?

Isochronic map showing time taken to travel certain distances

Francis Galton's isochronic map 1881

KEY CONCEPTS

time-space convergence (n)

This process concerns the changing relationship between time and space, and notably the impacts of transportation improvements on such a relationship. It is closely related to the concept of speed, which indicates how much space can be travelled over a specific amount of time.

friction of distance (n)

As the distance from a place increases, the interactions with that place decrease, usually because the time and costs involved increase with distance.

Add these definitions to your notes. Provide a real life example of each one.

Watch the video. Identify inventions and explain how they contributed to time-space convergence.

exam PRACTICE

Explain what is meant by ‘time-space convergence’. (10 marks)

Mark scheme

The key idea is that of a “shrinking world” thanks to technological innovation over time. Expect some explanation of the technologies that enable this change and empirical evidence to support it (for example, time taken to circumnavigate the world etc.). This may be shown in diagrammatic form and should be credited.

Other approaches to explanation might include an analysis of the range of flows/global interactions that are enabled by different technologies (and the specific impacts they bring as aspects of the convergence, for example, cultural dilution, McDonaldization or growth of “global village”).

Good answers may recognize the uneven nature of time–space compression (not all people and places experience it to the same extent; some places have “opted-out” of globalization etc.).

At band C, answers may be descriptive of reduced times for travel (provide facts about reducing sailing times etc.) without addressing the concept of time–space convergence very explicitly, or provide a superficial account of the concept but without much real evidence to ground the explanation.

For bands D and E, answers will be focused on both dimensions of space and time (global technologies bring places/people nearer together by reducing the time taken for instantaneous interactions/flows to occur) and the explanation is well supported with examples. Band E answers may additionally show especially adroit handling of the concept or employ very good terminology.

Ocean Transport

Examine the relative changes in the speed and capacity of ocean transport responsible for the flow of goods, materials and people.

Ocean Transport

Examine the relative changes in the speed and capacity of ocean transport responsible for the flow of goods, materials and people.

This video will show and name important locations for ocean transport. Can you guess which ones?

key words

intermodal transportation

transporting freight by using two or more transportation modes. This is made possible by transportation terminals linking different modes of transport e.g road - rail - sea

bulk cargo

a commodity that is transported unpacked, in large quantities.

break bulk shipping

Break bulk refers to cargo that needs to be individually loaded.

ocean transport

changes in speed

containerisation

Containerisation is a system of standardised transport, that uses a common size of steel container to transport goods. These containers can easily be transferred between different modes of transport – container ships to lorries and trains - called intermodal transport. This makes transport and trade of goods cheaper and more efficient.

changes in capacity

Container-carrying capacity has increased 1200% since 1968.

task

Read the BBC article above

Make notes on features of the new EEE ship that increase capacity + Panama Canal

Create a document entitled "The Evolution of Container Ships"

Include the ship name, year and capacity and a picture from the Internet.

further reading

Air Transport

Examine the relative changes in the speed and capacity of air transport responsible for the flow of goods, materials and people.

Air Transport

Examine the relative changes in the speed and capacity of air transport responsible for the flow of goods, materials and people.

LAX Terminals 4, 5, & 6

changes in speed and capacity

Boeing: A Century of Aviation

Supersonic Air Travel & Concorde

History of Commercial Aviation & Airbus

Airbus A380

task

Access the resources above

Make notes on the events and their dates that lead to changes in speed and capacity of air transport

Create an illustrated timeline of events

SYNTHESIS

Explain how air transport increased its speed and capacity over time. [10 marks]

Communication Infrastructure & Use

Describe and explain global patterns and trends in landline, mobile phone, Internet use and access to broadband

Communication Infrastructure & Use

Describe and explain global patterns and trends in landline, mobile phone, Internet use and access to broadband